7 Tips To Make Your Deck Last

January is decking month here at Sqaurepegs and throughout this month, we are celebrating The Great Australia Deck. As part of our continuing deck series, we are taking a look at deck maintenance and sharing our top tips for protecting the longevity of your home’s greatest investment (in our opinion) - your deck!

In this article, we are looking specifically at timber decks. Stay tuned to our website for maintenance tips for composite decks (spoiler alert: composite decks are much easier to maintain).

Deck Maintenance Tips To Extend The Life Of Your Deck

Clean Your Deck On A Regular Basis

Prolonging the life of your deck starts with regular and ongoing cleaning. Timber decks are an attractive extension of nature and are intended to blend with your outdoor area, however, keeping your deck free of leaves, dirt and other debris is essential to avoid mould, discolouration and rot.

Removal of debris from your deck should be carried out at least once per week, and after dust or wind storms.

Additionally, we recommend cleaning your deck with specialty cleaner designed specifically for the timber species your deck is made out of and to meet the unique needs of your deck. For example, there are specific cleaning solutions for brightening your deck’s timber, removing algae and mildew, and more. This cleaning should be done no less than once per year.

If you would like advice regarding the cleaning of your deck, contact us here. Handyman Sean, who you might know as The Newcastle Deck Guy, would be more than happy to offer tips and advice.

Perform Regular Deck Inspections And Repairs

Often, problems with your deck don’t become apparent until they are BIG, and often very costly. In the extreme, problems can compound and necessitate demolition of your deck in order to build a new structure.

In order to preserve the longevity of your deck, prevention is the best medicine. Regularly inspecting your deck for elements in need of repair and undertaking these repairs is important. 

Your Deck Inspection Checklist

Timber boards can swell and shrink overtime. This can lead to nails or screws coming loose. Depending upon what type of fasteners used in the construction of your deck, nails and screws can rust. This will lead to discolouration of your timber and will leave your decking board vulnerable to deterioration

Your deck’s railing is another element of your deck that should be inspected regularly. From a secure position, give your deck’s railing a solid shake to test its fortitude. Your deck’s railing should be able to withstand heavy impact in case someone stumbles and falls into it. If your deck’s railing moves when forcibly shaken, it is time to reinforce or replace it.

Another element to inspect regularly is the flashing - the plastic or metal guards where your deck meets your home. If there are cracks or crevices, water can get inside and wreak havoc. It’s important to ensure you install the correct drainage that directs water away from your home and your deck, and onto the ground.

Protect Your Deck With Sealant

Sealing your deck will help protect your timber from cracking, splitting and warping. Sealant also adds a degree of water resistance making your deck able to withstand rain and wet weather.

When it comes to sealing your deck, start by cleaning your deck and allowing it to dry. Next, sand your deck to remove splinters, stains, scuffs and other marks. We strongly recommend not skipping this step and sanding your deck also allows for the appropriate absorption of the sealant once it is applied.

The best sealant for your deck will depend upon your deck’s unique needs, however, for deck here in Newcastle and Maitland, we strongly recommend using a sealant that protects against both water and UV damage. This is especially important if your deck is uncovered.

Regularly Maintain Your Deck With High Quality Stain

Restaining your deck is a great way to breath new life into tired decking boards and is an essential part of extending the life of your deck. To achieve the best results for your deck, use one, or two coats, of high quality stain. 

Our favourite stain to use on the decks we have the opportunity to work on is Intergrain Ultradeck. 

Replace Damaged Decking Boards

Sometimes, refreshing the look of your deck and protecting its longevity, is as simple as replacing individual decking boards that have become broken, or damaged beyond repair. Doing this in conjunction with sanding and restaining your deck is a great way to ensure the newly replace decking boards will blend seamlessly with existing decking boards.

Add A Pergola Or Deck Covering

A pergola, shade sail or other deck covering is a great investment, not only for extending the life of your deck, but also for adding functionality while making it a useful, allweather, outdoor space.

Adding a covering, or roof to your deck will protect it from the elements including rain and the harsh rays of the supercharged Australian sun. It also limits the amount of dirt and debris that might end up on your deck and cause scratches and other damage over time.

SQUAREPEGS HANDYMAN DOES Decking And Pergolas

Decks and pergolas are our absolute favourite projects to work on. We love having the opportunity to sand, stain, oil or completely refurbish decks, or build a brand new deck or pergola from scratch. We would so love the opportunity to provide you with a quote for your deck or pergola.

Contact us here to organise your free, in-person estimate with Handyman Sean, aka The Newcastle Deck Guy.

WHERE WE WORK

You’ll find Squarepegs Handyman in and around Newcastle, Lake Macquarie, Maitland, the Hunter and beyond. Contact us to find out if we service your area. 

We cannot wait to work with you!

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